Exploring the Symbolism of Witch Hunts

In the historical context, the belief in witches and witchcraft has been prevalent in many societies throughout the centuries. The notion of a witch, often associated with female figures, has been deeply ingrained in folklore and popular imagination. The phrase "There flew the witch" can be interpreted in different ways. On one hand, it could refer to the traditional concept of witches flying on broomsticks or other means of transportation through the night sky. This depiction has been popularized in literature, movies, and even Halloween folklore. However, it is important to note that historical accounts of witchcraft do not necessarily include such fantastical details.

Also Keen Kitsune Sage Sorc is great. Charisma is dump stat material with Healer background. Would rather a Keen Kitsune Wizard though, personally, because of the 1/2 round metamagic and the faster spell progression, but that's just me.

The safest is enlarging, heroism and bulls strength via scroll and hasting via potion Seelah and giving her a glaive - reach the Str bonus damage size up means you can overcome the DR. Given that there is some evidence that hexes ward for example give the witch some feedback on their status, it would not be completely unthinkable that hexes flagged people for one day, that their status had been altered wrt that specific hex.

However, it is important to note that historical accounts of witchcraft do not necessarily include such fantastical details. On the other hand, the phrase could also be metaphorical, used to describe the public perception or accusation of someone as a witch. In this context, "there flew the witch" might signify the moment when someone is identified as a witch, often based on suspicion, rumors, or personal vendettas.

Pathfinder: Kingmaker and Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous General Discussion, Playthroughs and Minimal/No Reload Thread

Interesting, I went ahead with a Ley Line Witch for now, but have not gotten very far. I may switch to sorcerer before I get too far since that is not on the list. And I like them a lot. I may also try a druid since they aren't on the list either.

Serg_BlackStrider

Habitué

I was thinking about something along the lines of a Sorcerer, Druid, or Witch, but I would be open to other classes. Does anyone have any suggestions?

I'm currently (at the same time with P:K) running through WoTR with Sylvan Sorcerer (naturally I'm a spellcaster guy and Sylvan Sorcerer, somewhat mix of a Sorcerer and a Druid, is my most favorite class). There is a Witch NPC in WoTR (and quite a lovely one) but not a Druid (though you could make fine Druid with some very early NPC).

p.s. ouch, for some reason Antimatter's post was hidden from me and he wrote the whole list of available NPCs classes. Nevermind then =)

Xzarloxara

Innkeeper

I think I finally settled on a class (after creating about 4 different characters). A Kitsune Sage Sorcerer. At the moment, however, I want to whine about a bit of bad design in the first dungeon. There is this really stupidly strong water elemental that I can only safely beat by using cheese: use a hit and run tactic where I shoot it and then run away until it stops chasing me, and then repeat. This is really an annoying thing to have to do. I think maybe they could have picked something a bit less resilient for this encounter. Probably something less damaging too. That thing barely needs to look at the group to kill them instantly, especially with that freeze effect, and with its damage reduction and plentiful elemental immunities it is extremely hard to hurt for a level 2 party.

Antimatter

Administrator

That water elemental is a menace to society.

This is how the Last Azlanti challenge by Owlcat Games results looked:

My personal experience was that I didn't have much trouble fighting it after completing Kingmaker - but of course, it required my party to use all their scrolls and potions etc. I agree the design is questionable. You'll be surprised, but there will be many similar difficulty spike-type enemies further. So you'll need to use all those spell penetration, resistance piercing, buffing and debuffing spells you have.

I wonder why you picked INT-based sorcerer and not CHA-based one.

Xzarloxara

Innkeeper

Mainly so I could have more skill points available on the main character. She has all the lore and knowledge skills covered, and as class skills too. With the background I choose (healer) she even gets to use her intelligence instead of wisdom for a bonus to her lore skills. She also adds a point to persuasion every other level at her current intelligence. The one thing I do miss a bit is her lack of perception training, but I guess other people can cover that. I also plan on hiring a Druid as a mercenary, because I am interested in that class as well. The other class that was very tempting to me was a Witch. I was specifically thinking about making my Witch into a Winter Witch prestige class, but I think that may have to wait for another run. Another reason I chose a Sorcerer over a Druid was that I really wanted a kitsune as my main and they don’t make very good Druids. They do make very good Witches, though. I do like Sorcerers a lot, but the temptation to try something new, like a Witch, is strong. I just hope I can settle on a class soon so I don’t get restartitis…

m7600

Habitué

I love this dialogue

alice_ashpool

Habitué

I think I finally settled on a class (after creating about 4 different characters). A Kitsune Sage Sorcerer. At the moment, however, I want to whine about a bit of bad design in the first dungeon. There is this really stupidly strong water elemental that I can only safely beat by using cheese: use a hit and run tactic where I shoot it and then run away until it stops chasing me, and then repeat. This is really an annoying thing to have to do. I think maybe they could have picked something a bit less resilient for this encounter. Probably something less damaging too. That thing barely needs to look at the group to kill them instantly, especially with that freeze effect, and with its damage reduction and plentiful elemental immunities it is extremely hard to hurt for a level 2 party.

The safest is enlarging, heroism and bulls strength (via scroll) and hasting (via potion) Seelah and giving her a glaive - reach + the Str bonus + damage size up means you can overcome the DR. Should take around 4 rounds on core. Either Lann or Wenduag can tank with potion of protection from cold, reduced person, potion of faith, cat's grace and barkskin.

Other people can just chill at the back. You can actually kill the endboss, take her glaive and go back to kill the water elemental if you want.

alice_ashpool

Habitué

Also Keen Kitsune Sage Sorc is great. Charisma is dump stat material with Healer background. Would rather a Keen Kitsune Wizard though, personally, because of the 1/2 round metamagic and the faster spell progression, but that's just me.

Xzarloxara

Innkeeper

So, I finally settled on a class for my character, and have started to explore the city a bit. My main character is a Kitsune Sage Sorcerer, and I hired an Oread Primal Druid as a mercenary (she has a pet smilodon). In kingmaker I usually focused on spell focus feats for my casters, but due to the number of demons out there, I am instead trying to take spell penetration ASAP. They still often have trouble with demons, but slightly less trouble now. My first move after returning to the city was going to the market square. I had a lot of trouble there with the various enemies, especially the shadows, and shadow demon. After finishing most things available at the square I returned to the tavern and had to defend it from a demon assault. That was a fun battle, in which Lann scored a key critical hit against the main enemy, the minotaur, for 40 damage! After this I fought some enemies in various miscellaneous places and things weren't too bad until I returned to the market square to take care of some unfinished business. I was quite surprised to find that new enemies had spawned there. The hardest new enemy was a Nabassu; nasty thing, with its level draining and mass paralysis, not to mention the ghoul entourage it had. I also summoned a Vrock and had to fight it too, which wasn't too bad I guess.

I do wonder if I should be paying any attention to the mythic path stuff, though. so far I have encountered several mythic path choices in dialogs and am trying to follow the non evil ones, just to keep my options open.

This is a really hard game but it has been fun so far, if a bit frustrating at times.

10 gp that this will get "No reply required" because the intent is so obvious.

This notion has often led to widespread accusations, trials, and persecutions throughout history, most notably during the infamous witch trials of the 16th and 17th centuries. The historical reality of witch hunts and witch trials is a complex and somber one. Many innocent people, primarily women, were unjustly accused, tortured, and executed based solely on biased beliefs and superstitions. The notion of witches as malevolent individuals with supernatural powers was deeply ingrained in the social fabric of many communities during that time, and such accusations often stemmed from societal issues, fear, and ignorance. In more modern times, the concept of witches has evolved, and witches are often seen as figures of empowerment and resistance, especially within certain feminist and neo-pagan movements. Witchcraft is now often associated with spirituality, nature, and the reclamation of feminine power. The phrase "there flew the witch" might also be used as a celebratory statement within these communities, expressing the pride and freedom associated with embracing one's identity as a witch or practicing witchcraft. In conclusion, the phrase "there flew the witch" can be interpreted in various ways, depending on the context and perspective. Whether it refers to the traditional imagery of witches soaring through the night sky or the historical and societal perception of witches, it is important to acknowledge the complexities and historical injustices associated with the notion of witchcraft..

Reviews for "The Witch Stereotype: Fact vs. Fiction"

1. John - 1-star rating: I found "There Fliew the Witch" to be incredibly confusing and hard to follow. The plot jumps around without any clear direction, and the characters are poorly developed. I couldn't connect with any of them, and their actions seemed random and nonsensical. The overall tone of the book was dark and depressing, with very little hope or redemption. I was greatly disappointed by this book and would not recommend it to others.

2. Emily - 2-star rating: I had high hopes for "There Fliew the Witch" after reading some positive reviews, but unfortunately, it didn't live up to the hype. The writing style was overly descriptive and weighed down the plot. The author seemed more focused on creating flowery prose rather than delivering a coherent and engaging story. The pacing was also off, with long stretches of inaction followed by sudden bursts of chaotic events. I found myself skimming through paragraphs just to get to something interesting, but it never came. This book just wasn't for me.

3. Sarah - 1-star rating: "There Fliew the Witch" was a complete waste of my time. The narrative was convoluted and lacked structure, making it difficult to understand what was happening. The characters were one-dimensional and lacked depth, which made it impossible for me to care about their fates. Additionally, the book was filled with grammatical errors and typos, indicating poor editing. I couldn't even finish it because it was such a frustrating and confusing read. I regret picking up this book and would advise others to steer clear of it.

4. David - 2-star rating: "There Fliew the Witch" had an intriguing premise, but it fell flat in its execution. The story was disjointed and hard to follow, with confusing time shifts and muddled character motivations. It seemed like the author was trying too hard to be unique and edgy, but it resulted in a messy and confusing narrative. There were some interesting ideas and moments, but they were overshadowed by the overall lack of cohesiveness. I wanted to enjoy this book, but ultimately, it left me frustrated and unsatisfied.

5. Emma - 1-star rating: I was highly disappointed with "There Fliew the Witch". The writing style was pretentious and overly floral, making it difficult to understand and follow the plot. The excessive use of metaphors and poetic language made the story feel like a convoluted puzzle that I couldn't solve. The characters were uninteresting and lacked depth, and their interactions felt forced and unrealistic. Overall, I found this book to be a tedious and frustrating read that I wouldn't recommend to anyone.

Witch Hunts as a Form of Societal Control